PROTESTERS sang hymns as “blasphemous” poet Patrick Jones read his work at the National Assembly building yesterday.

About 250 people prayed, listened to Bible readings and sang hymns and carols outside the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay while Blackwood writer Mr Jones read to a small audience in a public meeting room.

He was invited by two AMs, Liberal Democrat AM Peter Black and Labour’s Lorraine Barrett, after Cardiff book store Waterstone’s cancelled his poetry reading last month following complaints from the group Christian Voice. The group’s objections, and those of several politicians, could not stop yesterday’s reading from going ahead.

Members across the chamber had e-mails, letters and phone calls from constituents angry about an event advertised around the Assembly as “the poetry reading they tried to ban”.

Despite pleas to the Presiding Officer Lord Elis-Thomas, officials at the Assembly said they were powerless to stop the reading.

Christian Voice leader Stephen Green condemned the use of the building for what he dubbed a “blasphemous” reading.

Conservative Assembly leader Nick Bourne also opposed the reading, saying: “I have great concern about the home of Welsh democracy being used to promote poetry that is anti-Christian. I would say the same if it was against any known religion.”

The most controversial poem, Hymn, includes a reference to Mary Magdalene having sex with Jesus. Mr Jones dedicated his first work – a poem about fox-hunting and the media’s portrayal of asylum seekers called The Sport of Savages – to Mr Bourne.

He said his book was not intended as an attack on religion.

“It’s acts committed in the name of religions that I find quite offensive and I wanted to write about in some of the poems in the book,” he said.

The poem Hymn was performed by Stacey Daly, a 30-year-old actress from Newport.

She admitted she had felt “slightly terrified” about giving the reading but said: “I’m very anti-censorship and just wanted to get it heard.”

Mr Black said: “When this event was cancelled at Waterstone’s I thought that no group, no matter how large, majority or minority, should be able to prevent anybody else from speaking out.”

“I believe freedom of speech and freedom of expression is absolutely paramount.”

Protester Patricia Lewis from Coedpenmaen Baptist Church in Pontypridd, attended the demonstration with fellow members of her congregation.

Stating that the protesters had no interest in breaching the peace, she said: “We don’t want to do anything like that. We want to say we love Jesus and we love his name.”

Herbie Rees, a member of the same congregation, said: “We are here to stand as Christians united.”

Three protesters also gathered outside Borders book store on the Hayes, Cardiff, last night, where Mr Jones was reading from his book, Darkness Is Where The Stars Are.

Christian Voice leader Mr Green tried to attend the invitation-only reading in the first-floor coffee shop, attended by 30 people, but was thrown out by security guards when he refused to leave.

Plaid Cymru AM Mohammad Asghar, the only Muslim member of the Assembly, gave his backing to the protestors, saying: “I 100% support these people because it’s a very sensitive issue.”

Jones admitted he felt “sudden panic” at the sight of the protestors but welcomed their presence, saying: “I think that’s healthy for democracy.”

He added: “I don’t think they’ve even read the poem and I think if they read it or heard it I think it would change the context if they understood it.

“I just think it’s a bit of a moral panic that’s been created.”

Mr Black said: “This is a good day for democracy – Patrick was able to do his reading uninterrupted.

“People were able to listen to him and enjoy his poetry while at the same time protestors outside were able to have their say an put their point of view across and I think that is what democracy is all about.”

Jim Sadler, 26, from Newport, who attended the reading wearing a T-Shirt with the words: “Freedom of speech for preachers and poets”, said: “The symbolism of Christmas is very much about God’s involvement in the affairs of man.

“To be in front of [the National Assembly], the seat of government in Wales, was very significant.”